Legend High

Chapter 3

June

Two weeks is up. I run to Tess' because she didn't answer the phone. I climb in through her window and find her with almost no pulse.

What have I done? This could have killed her and it'd be my fault. I call 911.

"Hello? I need an ambulance as soon as possible. My friend is unconscious."

They let me ride in the ambulance with her and I text my mom telling her to get to the hospital ASAP.

Tess is taken into the ER and ends up with ten stitches in her back and two in her forehead.

I break down into tears. My mom walks up a minute later and sits next to me.

"Tess." A nurse walks out saying. We stand up. "She's okay. We have a police officer here to ask about how she obtained these injuries."

Thank goodness.

My mother and I walk into a small conference room. The officer apparently wants to question just us first.

"We think this may have happened as a result of abuse. We need to know if you've seen any signs of abuse. Examples include missing school often, getting frequent headaches, suicide attempts, depression, anxiety."

"She was abused. By her parents." I say.

"How do you know this?"

"I'm the one that found her." I say hesitantly.

"Okay. We will need to file a lawsuit to get her away from her parents but seeing this evidence the hospital will take her temporarily. Basically she can stay here for free. It's very rare that this happens. They will still charge for all the medical care but not her staying here."

"Do you know if she has any other family she can live with?"

"I don't think she does." My Mom says.

"Would you like to adopt her?" He asks.

"Of course." My Mom says without missing a beat. "As long as that's what she wants."

We go into her room and she appears to be awake now.

"Hey Tess." I say taking her hand to try to comfort her. She pulls it away.

"Please. Don't touch me." The officer behind us write something down on his clipboard.

"Sorry." I say.

"It's okay."

"We are going to fight for you Tess. Do you want to come live with us?"

"More than anything."

"Then we will stop at nothing to make it happen." My Mom says. "I will be your mom if you want. Or I can just be your, I don't know honorary aunt or something."

••••••

Years later

We fought hard for Tess. It took a while but eventually she was able to come live with us. Her parents were sent off to jail. Her dad has three life sentences and her mom has 50 years.